Upholstery tuft fastener



Patented Apr. 15, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE UPHOIiSTERY TUFT FASTENER Edward D. Oram, Burbank, Calif,

Application January 5, 1951; Serial No. 204,641

2 Claims.

This invention relates to upholsteryfasteners, and more particularly to an anchoring device for upholstery buttons or tufts;

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved upholstery button or tuft H fastener which is simple inconstruction, which i easy to insert through upholstery, and which securely anchors an upholstery tuft or button in its proper position.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved fastener for upholstery buttons or tufts which is especially useful in replacing tufts or buttons that have become loosened or untied, such as on overstuffed furniture and the like, the fastener being very inexpensive to manufacture,

being sturdy in construction, and being self locking by the mere insertion thereof into the upholstery, whereby no special tools or implements are required to insert the fastener and whereby the locking action of the fastener is increased by use or shifting of weight on the upholstery in which it is anchored.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is an end view of a fragmentary portion of an upholstered cushion, shown partly in cross-section, and illustrating the use of an improved tuft or button fastening device according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged, side elevational view of the upholstery button or tuft fastener employed in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a front elevational view of the fastener of Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure 1, but showing the hook portion of the fastener engaged with the burlap lining of the upholstered cushion, whereby the fastener is anchored with respect to said lining.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Figures 2 and 3, the tuft fastener may comprise an elongated piece of light spring steel wire, the body of which is shown at H. One end of the wire is formed with the loop or eye I2, as by forming a helical bend at the end of the wire ll. As shown, the end of the loop I2 is curved outwardly, as shown at l3, to facilitate the insertion of the securing eye I 4 of an upholstery button l5 into the loop 12. The opposite end of the wire II is formed with the resilient hook [6, the bend of the hook, shown at H, being of relatively small radius, whereby the hook defines a relatively sharp point. The end of the hook l6 is .f'ormedwith a reversely directed arm comprising a first portion. l8; which. extends reversely alongthe endxportionof the hook it, as-shown in Figure 2, and with aseeond portion lFextending toward themain body portion H at an acute anglewithrespect thereto, and also at an acute angle with the end portion of the hook IS. The end portion I9 is yieldable so that it may be readily deflected downwardly, as viewed in Figure 2, whereby it may interlock with a portion of the upholstery frame or lining when the fastener is inserted in the upholstery.

As shown in Figure 1, the fastener is employed by first engaging the button or tuft l5 with the loop I2 and then inserting the body of the fastener through the original aperture in the upholstery in which the tuft or button was secured. The aperture may be enlarged if desired by the use of a suitable implement having a sharpened point. In inserting the fastener, the body portion I I is thrust through the aperture in the upholstery, the sharp point of the hook I6 engaging into the upholstery and being forced past the lining or frame of the upholstery. This may be accomplished by placing rapid pressure on the button or tuft l5, and forcing the hook 16 downwardly through and past the lining or frame of the upholstery and then permitting the hook 16 to move upwardly from its position below the lining or frame, whereby the hook [6 will engage behind the frame or lining of the upholstery as a result of its localized compression thereon.

A shown in Figure 1, the hook It may engage with one of the supporting wires 20, the wire 2|] being lockingly received inside the hook I 6 and being held in the hook by the resilient arm portion l9. Alternatively, the hook may be engaged with the burlap lining 2| in the manner shown in Figure 4, in the event that the fastener is inserted between the locations of adjacent supporting wires 20, 20, as shown in Figure 4. It will be readily apparent that the fastener may be anchored regardless of the presence or absence of supporting wires or frame elements, such as the elements 20.

It will be readily apparent that the improved fastener above described may be employed to replace a tuft or button l5 which has become loosened without requiring the upholstery to be dismantled and without requiring the use of special upholstery tools. It will be further apparent that the fastener lockingly engages with the supporting frame or lining of the upholstery and cannot be readily loosened or detached from the upholstery after it has been inserted. It

3 will be further apparent that the resilient locking arm portion I 9 snaps past the element of the upholstery lining or supporting frame with which it engages responsive to the upward movement of hook l6 and thereafter anchors the fastener in position.

While a specific embodiment of an improved upholstery button or tuft fastener has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A tuft fastener for upholstery comprising a wire rod, an eye at one end of said wire rod adapted to be engaged with a tuft button, a resilient hook at the other end of said wire rod r 4 being also at an acute angle to the end portion of said hook.

2. A tuft fastener for upholstery comprising a wire rod, an eye at one end of said wire rod adapted to be engaged with a tuft button, a resilient hook at the other end of said rod adapted to lockingly engage in the body of an article of upholstery when the rod is thrust into said body, the bend of said hook being of. a small radius, whereby the hook defines a relatively sharp point, and a reversely directed resilient arm at the end of said hook, said arm having a first portion extending reversely along the end portion of the hook and a second portion extending toward said rod at an acute angle thereto and being also at an acute angle to the end portion of said hook.

EDWARD D. ORAM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Lyle June 13, 1933 

